The overwhelming majority of the pastors and other Christian leaders we interviewed, surveyed, or from whom we otherwise received responses admitted:
They couldn’t reconcile the many passages about divorce and remarriage in the Bible.
They knew that Christians who were divorced were often ostracized.
They understood many injustices surrounded the issues historically.
They were aware that the confusion about divorce and remarriage was rampant in the churches.
Most believed the Bible goes beyond adultery (infidelity) as a basis for divorce. But, many more believed only sexual infidelity is the basis for divorce.
Only ONE pastor could cite the passage in the Old Testament that was the basis for Christ’s answer in Matthew 19.
Marriage Plague?Were You Aware of This…? This is the history of 2000 years of Church-divorce chaos… |
In the late 17th century, a “murder case” rocked England. A woman named Mary Hobry was charged with killing her husband. But, she represents what the divorce problem has produced in the churches for 2000 years.
She did kill him AFTER he came home drunk and again beat and abused her, repeatedly. He fell asleep. She fell upon him in his sleep, strangling him to death. She tried to hide her act by dismembering his body.
She had been desperate to leave him. However, the Anglican Church (State Church of England by law) would not allow a divorce under any circumstances in her case… or that of others. England fought the divorce issue despite the admonitions of the Bible. Finally, a prestigious member of Parliament, Lord Roos, was forced to go to great expense to get a divorce from his adulterous wife whose flagrant adulteries hid behind the legal “no-divorce” protection of churches and courts.
His wife correctly believed there would be no penalty for her acts. She feared no real loss. So, she pursued her amorous ways publicly since “No divorce” really only PUNISHES faithful spouses and children (often driving such spouses like Mary Hobry to sin.).
This problem, illustrated often elsewhere in the social archives of many nations, shows us that we may think we are defending “marriage”, but are all too often only keeping pressing the balloon at one end…
… only to see it explode out the other end.
Mary Hobry languished until she desperately (after another beating) “quit the issue” and took things into her hands.
…She killed her husband.
She had tried “legal remedies”. “Remedies were ineffective and extremely expensive. Even if she had “separated” she would’ve been forced to flee overseas to escape English law, since the Anglican Church used the authorities to check who was living where.
Many people led quiet lives of desperation. Children, husbands and wives often lived in fear and abuse. Some finally “break” and pursue extremes as Mary Hobry did.
Push the balloon in at one end… it will bulge and explode out the other.
Christian Fallout:The “Married Estate”
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Neither was the marital/divorce situation now found in our society …and in the churches. What has been written here in this site – The Marriage Plague – will challenge everyone’s thinking on such subjects as…
marriage
However that may be, there is one topic which must challenge everyone’s thinking. If that doesn’t change, especially in the churches, the marriage plague will NEVER disappear.
It has been a major factor in the history of Western Civilization for 2000 years. The plague has just never been successfully quarantined. Though it has been “contained” at times, it has, nonetheless, re-emerged time and time again to undercut the sinews of society…as it is doing today.
This “plague” has been responsible for so much damage to society:
- It has occasioned more than one war…
- It has divided churches and denominations…
- It has turned political events upside down…
- It had toppled thrones, ended careers, and initiated civil discord…
- It has been responsible for the loss of Christian influence in many cultures…
 In other words, what evangelism, Christian love and heroic faith gains in culture, poor hermeneutics (hermeneutics = principles of interpretation) and a consistently misguided defense of the marriage institution loses. |
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Click Here for your copy of The Marriage Plague Over 600 pages…
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You will find however, the Christian Church will be faced with one of two alternatives: solve the marriage problem (which she thinks is a divorce problem) …or Christians will be faced with the now, ever growing counter-Christian “marriage” revolution – one far exceeding what she now faces from varied elements of society:
- the gay marriage issue…
- the ever increasing break-down of marriage (with many broken marriages) in the Christian community…
- the sweeping carnage left in the wake of no-fault divorce … with the impoverishing and record bankruptcies emanating from it…
- the hatred for Christian men and women in the courts…
- the new “family” concept of social service/ day care assumption of our children by the State…sometimes called “It takes a village” popularized by President Clinton’s administration…and wife.
- the failure of Christianity to keep a nation it once taught…and the ever growing turn towards radical religions of all types throughout Europe and America as people seek an alleged “stability” for their lives and family…
- the changes brought upon society by single motherhood…and the fallout among children without two parents living in the same home…
- the changes brought about by the sexual revolution…
- the myriad numbers of internally horrid marriages creating despair and creating a reservoir (cesspool?) for future divorces.
- child abuse and child pornography in record rates… to the point where security forces of the United States will “blame anything and everything ” such as Internet
- access and privacy because our society is overwhelmed by these issues (but,
- really as a function of a judiciary out of control)…
- the growing wave of violent crimes committed by children (very often from broken down homes –though often enough broken homes too)…
- the rise of other legal challenges to marital law –alternative marriage concepts – such as polygamy (been to Utah lately?), polyandry, marriages in violation of the laws of consanguinity…
But, none of these are the cause of what this book calls the Marriage Plague, which has brought havoc to our society. None of these is the PLAGUE which causes the symptoms and misery of society.
Click Here for your copy of The Marriage Plague
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Here’s what one gentleman has to say about the “Marriage Plague” Very few times in life have I come across such open, honest people loaded with integrity. I cannot thank you enough for spending the time to talk with me on the phone. To ease my heart, to help me understand the conviction of the Holy Spirit with regards to myself and my marriage. I have been a Christian for such a short time and what a blessing you both are to me. The Lord provides all we need in His good time and we wait patiently, but not in inaction, for His Purpose to be revealed to us. The Marriage Plague is an incredible guide to the History of not only Marriage, but also Christian History. It is filled with wonderful testimony to how we should act and what we should do, to become the Picture of Christ and His Bride the Church in our own marriage. It is a must read for every Christian so that the apostasy that has a hold on the present day Church can be expelled and the true Living Word be taught in word and action.
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But…ALL of the above will replace the Christian view of marriage as presented in the Bible IF the Church doesn’t act soon.
Purchase the Marriage Plague Now
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Topics Of Interest |
| The Marriage Plague: This 600+ page massive volume explores the many sides of Christian divorce, Christian remarriage and Christian marriage. Biblical SOLUTIONS are offered. Below are the topics. If you purchase Marriage Plague…you do NOT need the mini-series books below. ALL of them are in Marriage Plague. |
| Biblical Grounds for Divorce? For centuries the Christian church has been divided over the “Biblical Grounds” for divorce… if any. Pastors have universally testified to the difficulties in the issue… and the need for biblical answers. To solve this issue we must realize that the question does NOT begin with “grounds for divorce”. It begins with key principles, laid out in Scripture. What has been a divorce epidemic is so because the Churches for centuries have labored to reconcile the Old and New Testaments on the subject. The two Testaments DO AGREE. Here’s HOW. |
| David and Bathsheba: From Sin to Triumph Arguably, the most famous of the “affairs” in history comes from the Bible itself. These were two godly individuals who sinned grievously against the Lord and His people. The fallout from their sin was immense. In fact, so grievous that the Chart made available here reads like a horror show… until it is realized that even that can be redeemed by the Lord and His people. David and Bathsheba became a powerful testimony of the Lord’s justice and His mercy and love toward two who repented and rebuilt anew by His Grace. |
| Dealing with Adultery: Fallout & Hope There are a variety of reasons for adultery. Almost anything can become an excuse for this area of unfaithfulness. Adultery is one of the major causes of divorce among Christians. It is a sinful act of unfaithfulness to the marital covenant. However, the effects of unfaithfulness CAN be overcome. Unfortunately, the fallout from adultery can often be a veritable horror story. The issues which are so often associated with this issue are many. |
| Death Penalty for Adultery … Was It Applied in the Old Testament? This is the question which needs addressing if the “difficulties” of the divorce issue is to be solved. Note how “death” is NEVER applied in the Bible including for adultery, for example, John 5 or John 8. The problem? If the spouse in Deuteronomy 24 is put away for adultery (sexual perversity), and was allowed to remarry, according to this text, HOW could that take place if the person was “put to death”? This is the problem. There is a solution. |
| Divorce: Textual Problems Resolved: Throughout the Old and New Testaments there are many seemingly irreconcilable texts concerning Christians in marriage, divorce and remarriage. They are not irreconcilable; there are solutions which really explain our Lord’s summary statements about the Writ of divorcement in Deuteronomy 24. This is the chapter the Gospels are commenting upon in Matthew 5, Matthew 19, Mark 10, Luke 16. |
| “Why There”? Circumcision in the Bible: Why was the sign of circumcision applied… well, “there”? Why the sexual “private member” of the male? Actually, though it’s tempting to smile at the issue, God was deadly serious about the meaning and calling involved. |
| Intermarriage of Believer with Non-Believer: This is the particular area of unfaithfulness historically which has undermined the resolve of God’s people to maintain the strength of their testimony. This area of behavior compromises the church and has done so throughout history. Loss of children often is related to this issue, according to Scripture. There is hope. What can be done? |
| Old Testament Marital Relationships: Why was Polygamy Allowed? So, why was polygamy (many wives per husband) allowed by the Lord? Wasn’t it a violation of the original calling of marriage in Genesis 2? Is it allowable today? If not, why not? |
| Prostitution and Pornography: What Can be Done? What does the Bible say to DO about the “world’s oldest profession”? And the Internet is full of “porn”. Can it be stopped? It’s obvious the judiciary will NOT do anything about these problems. Can Christians really overcome them? |
| Proverbs 31: The Calling of Marriage: Solutions to the divorce plague in America among Christians must BEGIN with sound training about the calling and stewardship of marriage… before Christian people learn “the hard way”. What about the calling of marriage? There is ONE primary calling to Christian marriage and family, among many stewardships marriage demands. |
| Rome and Greece vs. The Early Church: One of the problems facing Christian marriage (and divorce) is found in Greek and Roman ideas, customs and laws imported into our society. Education, legal systems, parenting, marital relationships, political expectations, views of women, views of “roles” in the family… These and many more “ideals” were inherited by Western society and have brought trouble to Christian homes, marriage and views of “Christian” divorce. |
| Secularization of Marriage and Divorce: “No Fault” divorce? It has not only brought easy divorce, it has made divorce a lucrative system of gender “warfare” – a la Roman influence from ancient yesteryear. However, the churches have given the state the authority to handle divorce over the centuries because Christians didn’t know HOW to handle the issues afflicting society. So, what is to be done? |
| Sex & the Churches: What the Early Church Missed About Sex Despite the fact the Early Church elevated the institution of marriage out of the morass of Roman cultural degradation, the churches never regarded sexual stewardship inside marriage as anything but “the lesser of two evils.” What does the Bible teach us about sexual relationships and their vital importance to a healthy marriage? And why is sexual license outside marriage such a powerful inducement to the destruction of relationships and stability, always provoking or accompanying the rise of radical behavior toward society and truth? |
 The Nude Prostitute: Radicalizing Marriage The French Revolution used a “nude prostitute on an altar” as the symbol of its destruction of Christianity. That “revolution” promised a world wide influence and unfortunately it has spread its ugly tenets throughout the world. It’s ideas and ideals have directly impacted Christian marriage, divorce and sexual attitudes. Today, we are held in the grip of another “French Revolution” affecting our society (which ideals do you think those professors and schoolteachers have been favoring in the public educational sector?). The “ideals” passed to our children in the schools are reaping the whirlwind of radical thinking in every aspect of our culture. |
| The Picture: How to Use Biblical Precept to Create Testimony “Commit thy works unto the Lord and thy THOUGHTS will be established.” (Proverbs 16:3) How does God create CALLING in us as Christian people? This is one of the most perplexing issues facing parents with their children, educational objectives, vocational understanding among Christian people in general |
| Two is Better Than One: Marriage is designed by God such that two are stronger in their union for facing the problems of life, than any one of us can possibly accomplish. However, that assumes a biblical approach and use of marriage. |
| Why Has Divorce Been So Difficult? Why has divorce brought societal deformation so often? Could it be that, long after the Christian faith has “won” the heart of a culture through its faith, heroic testimonies, even martyrdoms… its capacity to handle certain problems in society, such as divorce, has led entire cultures to abandon its promises and tenets? That is precisely what happened in England and America… |
| “No Divorce”: Is this the standard of the Bible? It certainly has been the standard inherited from the medieval church era of the Middle Ages. That 1000 year “standard” has brought with it a host of issues, problems and disruptions. Is it biblical or is there another, better, answer? |
| “Out of Control” Inside Marriage – When One Spouse “Abstains”: So, what happens to a marriage when one spouse willfully refuses … or neglects … the sexual relationship? Why does St. Paul allude to this behavior as “out of control” and even “satanic”? Why does this invariably lead to bitterness, defrauding, and divorce? |
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CLICK HERE FOR A COPY OF THE MARRIAGE PLAGUE |
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For years I struggled to know HOW to interpret the many differing passages of Scripture concerning divorce and remarriage. Now, I have a much clearer understanding in how these passages address so many real life struggles. It’s not theory anymore! Excellent work.
Bob Gamble, Engineer Elder Watertown, Wisconsin |
Sex in Marriage … a Subject of this Review
The book Bringing Sex Home originally took the title: “Taking it to the Mattresses… Bringing Sex Home.” The expression “take it to the mattresses” is famous for its expressed use in the Godfather, the blockbuster movie that shocked America in the 1970s. That title is no longer the one used, as you can see. The author figured it could send the RIGHT MESSAGE to the wrong people. The right message is: There is a struggle in marriages, including Christian marriages, to enjoy … or even offer sexual pleasure to one another.
Sex is a struggle for many different people, who associate it with something akin to a “lesser of two evils.” Worse, many people in our “sexually liberated” generation simply do not know how to please a spouse, much less do they understand the NECESSITY to do so.
Sexual gratification is NOT about pleasure only. It is certainly that…most times. But, it is far more than that. For example, it is a means of cleaning a sewer, the imaginations and desires of fallen hearts. Here the author uses “fallen” to mean, our fall from innocence in the Garden of Eden.
Here we use the phrase to note the STRUGGLE married couples have in bringing sexual pleasure to their marriages consistently throughout the marriage. Why the proliferation of affairs? Why are men and wives said to be “bored” with each other? Why do Christians repeat the Early Church heresy that sex is for “having children” primarily…That last word resounds like the toll of a mournful church bell sounding the passing of a friend into the next world, while his friends mourn.
Sex in Marriage … Primary Purpose for Sex
Sex is NOT primarily for “having children”. Don’t get the author wrong. He knows some will use that to say, “Ah, you see, children are an unneeded burden after all, in our marriage.” If that is the meaning extracted, then they have missed the point.
Sex is a gift given by God for testifying FIRST of the UNION of a man and his wife. That said, what exactly does it mean? A proper view of children flows from such an understanding. In fact, if that is NOT understood, marriage itself will hit the rocks. The good ship “Marriage” is foundering. Too many pretend it to be otherwise. But, as a generation tries to “turn back” – fathers attempting to be there for their children, spouses attempting suddenly to be attractive to the other, Christians “rediscovering” courtship, men attempting to focus on their wives, women trying to understand how to love their husbands (Titus 2:2) – without understanding the purpose of sexual UNION, all other functions of marriage will suffer.
This book is unique in that the sexual revolution and the marital expression and use of sex – each at designed to be at polar ends from each other in society – is approached from what God says – quite distinctly, even embarrassingly – about sexual habits and practices in His Word. Too often, “Christian counselors” run to psychological theory ABOUT human nature (usually without handling sin, RIGHTEOUSNESS (the emphasis of this book) and judgment – John 16:8), as Christ Jesus told us to do in the New Testament.
Sex in Marriage is NOT a “Lesser of Two Evils”
The book is designed with the purpose of helping Christians understand the fact that God gave sex as a gift to couples. It is designed as a REAL blessing…It is NOT designed as a “lesser of two evils” nor is it a test of abstinence, some sort of sadistic means of testing the resolve of married couples who tend to treat it ONLY as a means of having children. But then, once the children have arrived, what then? Is sex a designed blessing whether or not children are conceived? It remains a blessing from the Lord for all married couples. It has many purposes. But, first and foremost it represents the power of the UNION of two people, now become ONE.
What does it mean that two people are ONE? It certainly does not mean they become some mutant physical aberration. They are united in spirit and soul. The body is not capable of joining the flesh physically (like Siamese twins) to another’s flesh without intense tissue damage. So, God gave us sexual intercourse as a means of teaching us that two are now one as a union. But, the Union is not a metaphor. God HAS made our spirits such that a real uniting in the souls of the two spouses CAN, and does, occur. Married couples are conscious of the need for fidelity in THIS RELATIONSHIP of all others. Infidelity in this – sexual intercourse – is universally understood as an injustice, and the living of a lie, the breach of a solemn (and holy) Trust. It is also an offense to God.
Sex in Marriage: Satan in, Sex out
Sexual intercourse is designed to teach fidelity, exhibit kindness, serve the other in love, and display holiness. THEREFORE, it lays the foundation for the family, home and marriage. It is intensely PRIVATE…but a rebellious society increasingly wants it displayed more openly until it loses its character through cheap exposure. Satan, accordingly, continues to abuse its use, driving mankind to think of sex in terms as “dirty”, “cheap”, “filthy” and a mere plaything. Use someone, with their consent, and it’s thought to be OK. Remember the song “…Love the one your with.” That’s society today. That’s even the view of churches, marriages and neighbors who live with wife swapping, adultery, “desperate housewives”, “needy” men, and broken, dysfunctional families. The kids suffer in all of this as well.
The purpose of the book is not to explore history, drugs, or even porn (though it will be brought up in several places out of necessity). The purpose is to explore sexual mores and the human heart. The purpose is to explore sex in its powerful capacity to knit the hearts and lives of married couples, to explore is true blessing and beauty. We are here to study why God made sex and what governs its purpose on earth. We are here to understand HOW God makes sex a blessing to couples. Yes, we must, just out of sheer necessity, “take out the trash” throughout the book. Sexual relations are so encumbered with associations of “filth”, that to think of the subject is to associate filthy, even criminal activities.
That is the way Satan is strategically engineering the subject, according to the Word of the Lord. Sex is equated to a FIRE. Like fires, good can come of it. Evil can also result. Its association in our minds must always be one that is “guarded”. After all, YOU CAN burn your house down with it. YOU can burn your house down with sexual misguidance as well.
We all know how to strike the match. But this book is an attempt to teach us how important lighting the match really is.
…And more importantly, what to burn.
– Dr. Wayne C. Sedlak
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Proverbs 31: The Calling of Marriage |
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This e-book is powerful in its calling to newlyweds and those preparing to wed! It shows them what the married estate CAN do for them… and the Lord.
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